The present invention relates to teaching devices and, more particularly, it relates to teaching machines preferably intended for teaching foreign languages on the basis that, in view of the specific methods used for foreign language teaching, the device provides a novel method of introducing answers in the machine, using the means of the language being studied while avoiding undesirable stages such as intermediate digital coding of the correct answer or camouflage of the correct answer by a number of false ones, as presently known in various teaching devices and systems.
A teaching machine is known, which comprises a housing receiving thereinside a unit for introducing successive algorithmic problems, electrically connected to a control unit of the machine, to a signalling unit and to a unit for introducing answers (cf. U.S. Pat. No. 3,386,187; June 4, 1968).
When this prior-art machine is used for teaching foreign languages to students, the answers must be coded in digital form before being introduced into the machine (thus creating a new artificial and undesirable stage in the language teaching process) or it is necessary to use the selection method system known in the programmed teaching technique, in which one correct answer is camouflaged with a number of false answers, thus creating, according to psychologists, obvious barriers for active assimilation of foreign languages in view of the fact that, being strongly motivated, the students memorize both correct and wrong answers and are likely to use the wrong answers spontaneously in speech. In addition, the arrangement of teaching programs with a large number of camouflaging answers complicates the operation of the person who prepares a program for an automatic lesson, because the selection of a logically grounded camouflaging "ballast" of wrong answers in the teaching program requires no less time that the composition of the program itself, if not more.
It is an object of the present invention to construct a teaching machine, preferably for the automatic, highly efficient and, consequently, intensive language pre-speech practice in the learning of foreign languages, mass testing of the assimilation of the current language material, which overcomes the disadvantages of the existing teaching machine used for teaching foreign languages and in which the correct answer is introduced by the means of the language studied, while avoiding intermediate digital coding or camouflaging of the correct answer among a number of false or true answers.
To achieve this object, the machine uses the so-called system of linguistic algorithmic (determining) problems which are widely used in all foreign language textbooks and are further developed during the course of automatic teaching. These are traditional language exercises having a fixed basic pattern of logical operations and which lead students toward a single correct answer. The presence of a clear algorithm of operations in problems, leading the students necessarily to the correct answer, makes it possible to use them as the foundation for a logical scheme in a teaching device, and with the program carrier being simplified as much as possible. Such exercises are intended for the active practising of words and grammar, or for the identification of personal and verbal forms, including the extra range of theoretical and practical courses in any language, and including the identification of various syntactical structures. Linguistic algorthmic problems also serve to instill the habit of analysis of sentence structure, the ability to distinguish interchangeable lexical variants and to actively use in oral speech the linguistic material practised with the help of the present machine. An example of such an algorithmic exercise is as follows:
Insert the correct conjunction in the following sentences:
______________________________________ 1. it gets dark, we switch the lights on. 2. She may have gone they arrived. 3. He'll stay here she is back, etc. ______________________________________
In order to carry out these problems, the students must possess firm knowledge, because the exercise is intended for intensive linguistic drill or testing. If the students possess firm knowledge in the narrow field presented in an exercise, they go over all the possible answers for the given problems and give the correct answer on the basis of the definite results obtained by the semantic analysis of the exercise or sentence structures, using the language means and avoiding digital coding of the linguistic material, for which purpose they utilize the code panel serving as a specific task for an exercise which is always closely associated with the subject of a specific linguistic algorthmic problem. In studying foreign languages, this pure language drill is necessary in order to leave more time for oral practice in classroom or oral tests during examinations. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a device which is aimed at solving the abovesaid specific problems in the course of foreign language teaching.
With this and other objects in view, the present invention resides in a teaching machine, particularly, for teaching foreign languages, comprising a housing accommodating thereinside a unit for introducing algorithmic problems, electrically connected to a control unit of said machine, to a signalling unit and to a unit for introducing answers, in which machine, according to the present invention, said unit for introducing answers is provided with a replaceable program frame having electric plug contacts, said frame being adapted to be replaced, when the code of a program is varied; a code-bearing panel having recorded thereon the elements of a language to form answers to the algorithmic linguistic problems introduced into said machine, said elements being located in frame windows and each of said language elements being arranged opposite the respective contact-operating key of the answer introducing unit, whereas the programming switches of the machine control units are electrically connected to the sockets of the electric plug contacts.
It is expedient that the lid of the machine housing be provided with a limit switch to preclude a possibility of peeking ahead.
It is also advisable that the electric plug contacts of said replaceable program frame be different in length so as to provide electrical means for the operable choice of one of the coded programs of said control unit.
It is also recommendable to provide said replaceable program frame with spring clamps.
It is further advisable that the control unit of the machine be provided with means for automatically advancing a teaching program through an incremental step after each successive answer has been introduced into said machine, and said means be electrically connected to said electric plug countacts of said replaceable program frame.